"Our entry deadline was last Friday, Jan. 17, and we've had a lot of great submissions from AMC and OLTL — in fact, we've set an extreme record for the number of entries this year," NATAS senior executive director David Michaels tells TV Guide Magazine. "From the look of Prospect Park's submissions, I think they'll give the four network soaps a real run for their money when it comes to production values and the quality of the writing, directing and acting."

Michaels also notes that "several stars who chose not to submit themselves in recent years have decided to get back into the game — so the more the merrier! Between that, and the enthusiasm from AMC and OLTL, this has the makings ofa real horserace. There's a lot of buzz and a real seriousness about the awards this year, especially coming from the younger actors. They've been calling, asking questions, they really want to be involved. And that's sure to make for a much more exciting ceremony."

No word yet on when or where the 41st annual Daytime Emmys will air — talks are ongoing — but look for the acting prenom lists, with ten names per category, to be released March 3. Nominations are announced May 1.